Jos Verstappen claims 'childish' Christian Horner stopped him from taking part in legends' parade ahead of Austrian Grand Prix... as the pair's feud roils on after Red Bull team principal's text scandal
- Verstappen Snr claims Horner stopped him from taking part in Sunday's parade
- Horner has offered his response to the allegations of his star driver's father
- The three-time world champion will start Saturday's sprint race from pole
The fizz is out of the can again at Red Bull, Jos Verstappen accusing his nemesis Christian Horner of stopping him taking part in the legends’ parade ahead of Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix.
To which Horner rejoined: ‘I didn’t veto it.’
And so this bitter enmity is relit in the Styrian mountains, where Jos’s triple world champion son will start Saturday morning’s 24-lap sprint from pole position, having put the tumult aside in qualifying on Friday.
Jos was scheduled to drive Red Bull’s RB8, the car Sebastian Vettel piloted to his third world title in 2012, at the invitation of the circuit’s owners, the team’s parent energy drinks company in Salzburg.
Horner got wind of the idea and questioned whether this was wise given that Verstappen Snr has been a vocal critic of his since he (Horner) was accused of sending coercive text messages to a female colleague – a charge of which he was cleared by an internal investigation.
Jos Verstappen (R) accused Christian Horner (L) of stopping him taking part in the legends’ parade ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix
Jos Verstappen was scheduled to drive Red Bull’s RB8 at the invitation of the circuit’s owners
Verstappen Snr predicted in March that the team would ‘explode’ if Horner stayed in post, claiming he was the ‘real problem’.
And returning to the paddock for only the second time since that firework went up, Verstappen told Dutch media this weekend that Horner was being ‘childish’ in expressing doubts that he should take part in the parade.
Verstappen said: ‘I have heard from several sides that Horner has done everything he can not to let me drive and to make sure that I would not be filmed. Then I think, “Say it to my face.”’
Mail Sport understands Verstappen rejected Horner’s handshake when they met in the team’s hospitality area.
Horner questioned whether the idea was wise given that Verstappen Snr has been a vocal critic of his
An annoyed Horner responded with a pop at Verstappen and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who have met to discuss the possibility of Max moving to the Silver Arrows, saying: ‘Lewis Hamilton is leaving, which has led to speculation as to who will fill that seat, but it won’t be Max Verstappen.
‘If Toto does want a Verstappen next year, then I guess Jos is potentially available.’
Lando Norris qualified second for the sprint, with his McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri third. George Russell was fourth quickest, two places ahead of Hamilton, who bemoaned a ‘disastrous’ session.
‘I wasn’t in the mix,’ he added.
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